Online exhibitions?

So I was scrolling through tweeter the other day.  Yes you should too.  You could do worse than follow @BigLamington, and I would also recommend following Michael Reid as he has some pretty interesting posts.  A post from Iain Dawson took my eye, linking to an interesting story which said art fairs are causing fewer gallery shows.  Iain took it further and suggested it is going to be all art fairs and online shows.  It was a good read.  Then, as if to predict the future and then make it happen right on cue Iain announces an online exhibition!  Certainly makes it easier to schlep the kids to.  Well yes and no, because instead of my kids getting force fed some culture at a random gallery around Sydney I am having a browse on the computer whilst the kids apply their critical theory to the Disney Channel (at the moment I think Doc McStuffins would bag their 3 points).  

So Twenty Thirteen it is.  Iain has assembled eight 'important' emerging artists.  Some familiar names in my book, Liam Benson and Lucas Grogan and some other interesting work by Seth Birchall, Minka Gillian and Tim Roodenrys.  I love Liam Benson's photographs and his 'The Flag' (pictured above) is another one mixing patriotism and gender.  Tim Roodenrys' Prayer Flags looked interesting, and at 115 x 113cm might be pretty impressive but it is hard to tell online.  I will keep an eye out for Seth Birchall as well, his oil on board stereo view of Sidney Nolan caught my eye.  After a bit of research brought to you by google it looks like this was from his Man Crush show at the Liverpool St Gallery.  Lucas Grogan has one of his trademark blue works included.  There was a pretty big brouhaha about his work last year - with two artists from the Big Lamington collection quitting their galleries as they represented him.  Lucas borrows aboriginal imagery and some artists don't think he is entitled to do so.  It is a pretty controversial topic and far too much for me to cover here.  

Points:  3 for Liam Benson's flag.  Love his work and hope to get another some day.  2 for Seth's Sidney Nolan and 1 for Iain for having a crack at the online caper.  In a way it is really a call to arms for Big Lamington to do likewise.  That said I do think the experience suffers a lot, will we just get used to it?  I have bought a few things based just on a digital image, including a half finished Ryan Presley, but I do prefer the seeing things in the flesh.  And you miss out on the opportunity to have a bit of banter with the gallerist, which in the case of Iain himself is a shame as he is always great for a bit of a gossip!